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Juni-shi Ema

Fri, December 6, 2013, by Muza-chan

Before 1873, when the solar Gregorian calendar was adopted in Japan, several calendars were used, based on lunar calendars imported from China and Korea. A remnant of those times is Juni-shi, derived from the Chinese Zodiac, which allocates an animal to each year. So even today, many Japanese know which animal corresponds to the current year or to their birth year…

Also related to the Juni-shi, at the beginning of each year, ema votive tablets drawn with the year’s symbol are also available in Shinto shrines and in some of the Buddhist temples (besides the shrine’s specific ema). Sometimes, the year’s Juni-shi symbol is drawn in a cute, manga style, like the one in today’s photo…

Click on photo for higher resolution:
Ema, Shibata Jinja, Fukui
Ema, Shibata Jinja, Fukui
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EXIF Info:

Nikon D90
Lens: 18-70mm F/3.5-4.5G
Focal Length: 18mm
Aperture: F/3.5
Shutter Speed: 1/60s
ISO Sensitivity: ISO 1000
Japanese tea houses, the mistery of the rope tied stones
Yesterday’s Japan Photo:

Japanese tea houses, the mistery of the rope tied stones



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